This was eerie and mysterious. The way the characters are written left me questioning things about them. The nightmare scenes are written so well I felt tense while reading and the culmination in the end of the bloody and violent murder shook me.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I have read many wonderful reviews on this book so please do read this one if you plan to, it just wasn't for me.

Zoje Stage’s latest psychological thriller opens on chaos, as a doctor at a psychiatric hospital reads over the dossier of his latest patient:

QUOTE
“I had to do it. She was contagious”--her greeting as she’d opened the door to let the police in. A miasma of decay had wafted out like a poisonous cloud, making the uniformed officers gag. How had she lived with the stench? And why? Most people, if they were going to report their own crime, would do it right after the fact–not wait two weeks while living with the corpse. Her excuse, given days later, was that she’d been terribly ill (too ill to make a phone call?), but the first responders had quoted her as saying, “It wasn’t an emergency. I didn’t want to bother anyone.”
END QUOTE

The identity of killer and corpse are left unknown for the bulk of this story, detailing a difficult mother-daughter relationship exacerbated by the close quarters enforced by the COVID-19 pandemic.This is probably not the best thing to read if you’re getting ready for your own mother to come for an extended visit (as I am!) but does provide an eerily accurate recounting of life during the recent lockdowns. It is also the most honest account of mental deterioration during that period that I’ve read to date.

Grace is a fairly successful hairdresser who bought a house at possibly the worst time ever: right before COVID-19 shut down businesses and forced people into isolation. When her estranged mother Jackie offers to leave Florida and move in with her up in Pittsburgh to help with expenses, Grace is torn. She could definitely use the money, but fears what it would mean for her own personal life. The owner of the salon where she’s spent her entire career has decided to sell the business, forcing Grace to look for work elsewhere and narrowing her social circle. As a result, she spends far too much time online in various questionable pursuits, and worries that having her mother move in with her will cut into her privacy significantly.

This would be bad enough if the women had a good or even decent relationship. But Grace and Jackie haven’t really talked since Grace was a teenager desperate to leave her parental home. Jackie had been a single mom to twin daughters, one of whom had a particularly disabling form of cerebral palsy. While Jackie worked long hours in a nursing home to support her kids, Grace was forced to look after Hope, whose needs only made her more imperious and demanding of her twin. Grace was glad to finally be able to build her own life, free of family demands, as an adult. Jackie’s reemergence threatens to disrupt these carefully nurtured freedoms.

But bills still need to be paid, so Grace figures she’ll take Jackie in on her own terms. At first, their boundaries seem to hold steady. As the days go by though, Grace begins suffering from nightmares that mostly revolve around Hope, even as the stresses of looking for work and trying not to fall ill herself begin to take their toll. Things come to a head when Jackie reveals that the real reason she wanted to move in with Grace is to rehash their shared past. Grace, whose subconscious has already been stirred up enough by Jackie’s presence, is not happy about this at all:

QUOTE
<i>This is bullshit!</i> So many of the nightmares she’d had were a confounding mixture of reality and horror. None of them had been completely true, so why should this one be the exception? Her mother was fucking with her, trying to convince Grace that she was the crazy one. Jackie wanted her to torment herself, to question everything that had happened in the past, and Grace didn’t want to play along.
END QUOTE

Their already fragile mother-daughter relationship falters further as the two women discover shameful truths about one another. Forced to be each other’s only company, the women find a shared madness taking hold, culminating in an act of shocking violence. But who wielded the knives, and who was the victim? And what kind of contagion is truly on the killer’s mind?

Mothered is an utterly harrowing novel of family secrets and betrayals. I felt for Jackie, who did her best under the toughest of circumstances, but sympathized mostly with Grace, who was never really allowed to be a kid and who desperately craved the kind of healthy relationship other women got to have with their own mothers. What could so easily have been a tale of redemption and reconciliation turns, in Ms Stage’s masterful hands, into a terrifying novel of suspense, as the women’s grip on reality weakens, with death for at least one of them the only sure outcome.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've read a lot of crazy reviews of Zoje Stage's "Baby Teeth," and as soon as I saw this book become available, I immediately requested it!

"Mothered" is the perfect combination of psychological thriller and domestic horror. Disturbing, compelling, and crazy story!! I couldn't put it down! I loved Zoje Stage's unique writing style. I will definitely pick up "Baby Teeth" to read next!

Mothered by Zoje Stage

Grace can finally purchases her first home it comes right as the pandemic is set into motion. Thrilled to finally be a homeowner she is then let go from her hairdressing job when her boss lets her know she is closing the doors for good. Now she's panicking on how she is going to make her mortgage payments when her mom, Jackie, gives her an idea. Why doesn't she move in with Grace? Now that her second husband has passed away and left her some money she would be able to help pay the bills relieving some of Grace's stress.

Grace started to have weird things going on that felt like a break from reality. She doesn't know if she is dreaming it or its reality. Covid has played havoc on this story at least that is what Zoje Stage presents in this crazy book. Some things are very creepy so it plays well with the horror vibe. Covid in itself was a horror story sometimes even the news added to the horror vibes with people dying. I think the book is coming out in a time that people are ready to read this type of horror story during the pandemic. The pandemic did bring the worse things for some people and there familial relationships being stuck together with limited space can make anyone go bat crazy.

I recommend this book to people who love horror it has the things people look for in a horror book. I do like this author and enjoyed other books from this author. This one wasn't bad but I don't know the pandemic was a horror show on its own. I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for a free copy of Mothered for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

Grace is newly laid off and wondering how she's going to pay her mortgage in the early stages of quarantine when her mother offers to move in with her. When she considers their strained relationship, Grace knows it isn't the best move for her mental health, but when the alternative is losing her home, she feels forced into accepting Jackie into her home.

What Grace isn't prepared for is how claustrophobic the pandemic makes everything. As their self-isolation period drags out she isn't ready for the nightmares, the slights, the unhinged accusations and behaviors her mother levels against her as she demands Grace delve into the deepest and most traumatic moments of her childhood. Swimming in a stream of days that become indistinguishable, a tension that rachets impossibly higher, and the feeling that the longer the pandemic drags on only one of them can make it out alive, Grace finds herself wondering just how unthinkable certain actions really are.

"Mothered" is absolutely unhinged and will have readers on the edge of their seats as they race to determine what is real and what is not in the fever dream of a world that Grace and Jackie find themselves sharing. A must-read for those who enjoy a truly twisted psychological thriller, Zoje Stage's novel will haunt readers long past its final chapter. Special thanks to NetGalley and to Thomas & Mercer for providing an Advanced Reader's Copy of "Mothered" in exchange for an unbiased review.

Stylist Grace buys her first house right at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Single and with only one real friend in her life, Grace's only other social stimulation is her "hobby" of catfishing young women online to offer up life advice while masquerading as a knight in shining armor type. Desperate for funds and going stir-crazy in lockdown, Grace decides to take her estranged mother up on her offer to move in to help out. Grace has never fully forgiven her mother for saddling her with much of the responsibility of caring for her disabled twin sister Hope when they were kids. When Hope dies at a young age, Grace and her mother went their separate ways. Now forced together by circumstance, can they get through lockdown without going completely mad?

Pros:
- Stage describes this book as "batshit crazy" in her acknowledgments and I would agree with this assessment. This book definitely kept me guessing throughout in an unpredictable manner.
- Stage does a good job of portraying the ill-effects of lockdown on the mental state.

Cons:
- There's probably too many dream sequences in here, to the point where it seems like every chapter starts with one. They tend to get more predictable when there's so many.
- For such a problematic hobby, Grace's catfishing doesn't get explored nearly as much as I was expecting or hoping. In the end, the solution is so rushed that this plotline could almost have been dropped and not have made too much difference to the plot.

Three stars. Grace is a true unreliable narrator with some really problematic traits, but her descent into madness with her mother is a quite an interesting ride while it lasts.

FFO: Hereditary, lockdown diaries.

**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley*

It’s a bit confusing. The narrator is unreliable. It jumps from nightmare to reality so much that the lines are blurred. I still really don’t understand the ending. It was good enough to keep me reading but I’m not sure what is the truth.

Mothered is an outstanding, haunting thriller from start to finish. Atmospheric and claustrophobic, the story will creep into your mind and not let you go. The plot is captivating with well-developed characters. The story is fast-paced. This one cannot be missed! Highly recommended to readers looking for their next read to keep them on edge.

Grace has a very difficult and strained relationship with her mother Jackie. It's been that way since childhood when her mother would force her to look after her evil, disabled twin while her mother was out at work. Grace could never do anything right in her mothers eyes and her sister took advantage of that. Years later Grace reluctantly agrees to move her mother in with her during the pandemic......but everything is not as it seems.

This book feels like a slow burn, but something is always happening to make you question what's going on. I believe the author purposefully made the plot confusing to coincide with Grace's mindset. The story is grim on many levels, and often painted a picture of how difficult it is to be a child carer, and the struggles of lockdown during the pandemic.

“I must admit there are ‘memories’ in my head that are curious even to me.”

― Sebastian Barry, The Secret Scripture

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/mothered/

Let me preface this review by saying I did not read Baby Teeth, Ms. Stage’s debut when it came out but I have heard great things and I was excited to dive into her sophomore novel. In the vein of “what did I just read?” I enjoyed this somewhat baffling but very entertaining novel. Grace, a hairdresser, has finally purchased her new home when the pandemic hits. As businesses close down, her boss lets her know that the salon Grace works at is shutting down for good. She immediately worries how she will make her new mortgage payments. Her mother Jackie, recovering from an illness and recently widowed, needs a place to stay. She suggests to Grace that maybe they should live together, splitting the mortgage payment and other expenses. Without contemplation, Grace accepts her offer, relieving her stress about the mortgage payments.

While the current time period of the novel is the pandemic in 2020, the author currently goes back and forth between now and 15 years ago, when Grace’s twin sister, Hope, was alive. Hope had Cerebral Palsy, but also a mean persona that is taken out on Grace. Their mother, Jackie, is a single mom who is not home mostly so the responsibilities of taking care of Hope fall on her sister. Hope loves to torment Grace while Jackie dotes on Hope and never lets Grace forget who her favorite daughter is. Now Grace and Jackie are living together, while both holding a boat load of resentment towards each other. Who will explode first?

This is a great premise for a creepy but addicting novel with a very unreliable narrator. Grace has many dream sequences that include past and present characters in the book. It does become confusing what is actually real and what is a dream. Many won’t be comfortable with the disabled sister being seen as a villain but it is a genuine part of Grace’s story, unless it isn’t. And the reader is never sure what actually happened to Hope, though Jackie believes Grace is entirely responsible.

This book is a slow burn, akin to watching a pot, knowing it is going to boil over as the water gets hotter. Grace declines mentally almost as soon as Jackie moves in. The reader is never really sure whether Jackie is the problem or something else. Even Grace doesn’t trust what is real and what is a nightmare. The books get creepier as the pages become more dream sequence than reality. The author has written a nightmarish but well-written novel where even the main character doesn’t know what is real. I enjoyed this so much and will definitely look for more books from her. Zoje Stage’s acknowledgements at the end are also well worth reading only to hear how she came up with this book.

I'm conflicted about how I feel about this book. It reminds me of my relationship with my mother and was hard to read at times especially with the nostalgia of early 2020. Some of the imagery in the book is hard to stomach but it's a fast read.

This is a strange book. Familiar parts of mundane life interweave with something darker, the knots getting ever tighter. Very much gothic in tone, it gets difficult to cope with in places and yet you can't put it down for long.

From the very first pages of the book, you know that Mothered, written by Zoje Stage, is going to end with murder. A violent murder. A 91 stab wounds inflicted with four different knives murder. What could possibly provoke this level of rage? A mother and daughter isolating together during the Covid pandemic.

This premise does make a certain relatable sense.

Granted, the majority of (well, hopefully all) readers would never literally relate to such violence. But there is an aspect of the mother-daughter relationship that is universal. Mothers and daughters emotionally provoke each other in a unique way. Much of this is unintentional annoyance, which can lead to a constant, but harmless, grating on each other's nerves.

In some cases, however, the provocation is intentional. Targeted. Used to manipulate. It’s easy to envision how such a relationship can create a powder keg of anger and resentment, possibly leading to murder.

I was immediately drawn to this book by its premise, which didn’t disappoint. It felt a bit light on character development, but the lightly sketched personalities allow for more mystery when the psychological drama unfolds. The reader never really knows if they can trust the daughter’s point of view. And we know even less about the mother, her history and motivations.

If you need your books to include likeable characters, this one may not be for you. But I enjoyed the trippy psychological descent that plays out in this story. An opinion I will not be sharing with my own mother.

Zoje Stage has done it again! Mothered is yet another great psychological horror, filled with dread and suspense. Zoje Stage has become a master of character examinations through the lens of horror. Exploring Grace's character was addictive. Her life has become a mess, and she is forced to live in isolation with her estranged mother. There are so many tense moments in this book. Moments where Grace is unsure of what is real and what is fiction. The paranoia in this book is palpable and uncomfortable, and I could not put this book down! Lots of great reveals and cathartic moments in this book. It'll make for a fun reread whenever I want to dive deep into a disturbing, depressing, and strangely rewarding read. Zoje Stage is an excellent writer and her books deserve more attention!

Grace finally has the house she's worked so hard for, but 6 weeks after signing her mortgage a pandemic has arrived. As a hairdresser with unreliable income in face of lockdowns and social distancing, Grace warms up to her newly widowed Mother's idea of letting her move in to the spare bedroom and contribute financially.

They've always had a turbulent relationship, but Grace is an adult now, this is her house & her rules. Who knows, maybe they can finally form a healthy mother/daughter relationship?

With simmering resentments between them, new nightmares haunting Grace's dreams, and a quarantine that has them locked in together, everything from the past comes to a boil.

This book was psychological and had me questioning what was real. The nightmare scenes take you into Grace's subconscious and I emotionally felt her anxiety and frustration as nightmares and confrontations kept building.

My favorite character was Miguel. I felt like he was the singular person who tethered Grace into sanity, and [no spoilers] becomes the downfall in the charade between mother/daughter.

🌈 PS: I loved this book had LGBTQIA representation in the characters (gay, asexual)

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I did not understand this novel at all. I don’t know if the main character is dreaming, insane or being gaslighted. Nothing made sense. I can’t even tell you how it ended because I truly don’t know. It kept going and going. Not a fan.

Like many of us during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, author Zoje Stage found herself isolated at home, waiting for the world to reopen. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. It quickly became apparent that COVID was here to stay. Like other authors, the pandemic heavily influenced Stage, inspiring her to write her latest novel Mothered. In an unfortunate act of serendipity, I found myself isolated at home after a positive COVID test earlier this week. I've suffered through the last couple of days with a sore throat and no voice at all, but I'm thankful that my symptoms haven't worsened. With all this time at home, I managed to read Stage's new book. It has added another layer to this already fascinating novel.

The early days of the pandemic impacted different people in different ways. Yes, there was uncertainty about the situation. What was this strange disease? Were we all in danger of getting it? Beyond the mechanics of the illness, though, arose real questions about how it would impact people's livelihoods. Grace is one such person facing these uncertainties. As a hairdresser, she relies on being in close contact with other people to make a living. You can't cut someone's hair when you are supposed to be social distancing. The owner of the salon where Grace works has decided to use the temporary shutdown as an opportunity to liquidate the business and take early retirement. This, of course, leaves Grace out in the cold.

With her job prospects on ice, Grace is desperate to find any means of income possible. Right before the pandemic began, she purchased her first home. At the time, she was excited to have made this huge life step, but now she's saddled with a mortgage that she's unsure she'll be able to pay. With no other choices, Grace turns to the one person she never thought she would ask for help. She asks her recently widowed mother Jackie to move in.

There's a history between mother and daughter that caused a rift in their relationship. Grace optimistically looks at their cohabitation as an opportunity to mend that gap. Soon, however, good intentions turn bad, and their troubled past resurfaces. Grace begins to have nightmares that eerily blend reality and fiction. She dreams of her deceased sister, who despite her own physical challenges always found a way to be cruel to Grace. Things worsen from there, forcing Grace to grapple with the one person she has never been able to fully understand. . . her mother.

This was my first experience reading Zoje Stage's work. I was especially eager to accept this publisher-provided copy of Mothered based on how many of my book reading buddies adored her debut novel Baby Teeth. I found her writing to be compulsively readable. Much of the narrative momentum of the novel is driven by the characters, both of whom are fully fleshed-out versions of people grappling with different aspects of the pandemic. Stage daringly allows her characters to venture into their own paranoia, urging the readers to peek around the corner with them, veering closer and closer to the gruesome and taboo. There is no shortage of disturbing violence, especially as the novel crescendos to its climax. Stage balances this by grounding her characters in a reality that we all recently lived through. Mothered is a unique domestic thriller grounded by strong characters. It is the most inventive and captivating thriller I've read so far this year.

This was my first Zoje Stage book and I think I will read from her again. I was really invested in the first half of this book like fully immersed. I enjoyed the flashbacks we got of Grace’s childhood and seeing her relationship with her mom and sister. But after the halfway mark the book dragged for me. I found myself getting bored and I didn’t care about what was happening. The ending was good but nothing spectacular to me. I was a little bit let down be the twist, I wanted something more interesting. I did enjoy the epilogue at the end which is something I don’t see a lot in mystery/thrillers. Overall it was a fine read nothing amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

One of the words in the description of this story really stuck out for me as being the perfect adjective for this story - claustrophobic. This novel was almost uncomfortable to read at times, you could feel the tension and suffocation creeping in. Whatever the story, if it evokes feelings this strongly, I consider that a win.